The present application relates generally to frictional brake mechanisms, and, more particularly, to frictional brake mechanisms that detentably detain the movement of a first body relative to a second body.
When a first body must be detained relative to a second body, some form of brake mechanism, either frictional or mechanical, must engage the second body. Such mechanisms are generally mechanically or manually set to the detaining condition, wherein the first body is detained, or a non-detaining condition, wherein the first body is not detained.
There is a need for a frictional brake mechanism which is biased to a detaining condition and which can be disengaged to the non-detaining condition with a force that is substantially co-planar with the desired directional movement of the first body relative to the second body.